Lens mounting device



Get. 12, 1954 Q WITTEL LENS MOUNTING DEVICE Filed March 1, 1952 M 1% 5 Q. /A

an! 4 T Patented Oct. 12, 1954 UNITED STATES LENS MOUNTING DEVICE ()tto Witt-cl, Rochester, N. Y., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 1, 1952, Serial No. 274,404

1 10 Claims.

The present invention relates to a lens mounting device, and more particularly to a device which holds the mounting parts in proper axial relation, yet permits relative rotation of the parts to orient or adjust the lens mount to position the scales in proper viewing position.

As is well known, the lens elements are usually positioned in a definite relation in a cylindrical tube member or mount, which is usually threaded so that it may be screwed into the camera front or suitable support. In screwing the lens mount to the camera, means must he provided to position the mount axially so that the image formed by the lens system will be brought to a sharp focus at the image or film plane, which is commonly known as the focal plane. it has been found, however, that when the mount has been screwed into the camera and properly positioned axially so as to position the parts in proper icon that the mount is not properly 0 iented so that the various scales are in position for conveni at viewing by the operator. In order to overcome this clifiiculty, many forms of lens mounting devices provide arrangements whereby the mount alone or the lens mount and some associated parts may be rotated relative to Gthul parts to turn or orient the lens mount to bring the scales into proper viewing position without in any way altering the axial position of the lens mount.

The cinal object of the present invention is the prov n of a new improved mounting means for a tubular lens mount.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a o Que arrangement for clear .g or looking the l 0 nting means in proper axal po sition on the camera front or support.

Still another object of the invention. is provision of a novel means which pron 2 l relation of the mounting parts, vet and easy relative rotation to orient the lens mount to position the scales thereon in a, desired position.

And. another object of the invention is the pro-- vision of a mounting means which permits rotational cljus' ent of the parts to orient the mountaiter the ts have been axially positioned and locked. to the era or support.

And a iurth r object of the invention is the n of a lens mounting device which is comiew parts of rugged construction, easy ate ghly eiiectlve use. To these and other ends the invention resides in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully descrisecl, the novel features pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

1 is a rear perspective view of a camera front or support. showing the relation thereto of a mounting device constructed accordance with the present invention. th. lens mount being detached and the loclzin means being disconnected and moved away from the support, better to show the relation of the parts.

2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the support and th mounting device and substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the means for locking and positioning the mounting parts;

Fig. 3 is a View of the bottom mounting illustrated in larger scale than the latt I 1 relation, yet permitting relative rotation mo ement between the rings for the purpose of orienting' the lens mount;

Fig. i is a rear view of the support and the mounting parts, showing the relation of the p and the locking means carried by the su port.

Similar reference numerals throng various views indicate the same parts.

threaded relation with the threads in the aperture E8 to connect the ring i to the camera fr it or support 5 l. The member is is folied with a central smooth bore or aperture :6 which is conwith surface 55 and is adapted sli'la'ohr to receive the outer surface of an inner lin or member 58. lar radially extending flange i of wl" h abuts and is held i t th the front face st of the 1 be later more fully described. 25 thus form coopera to position the rings it and E8 in axial relation.

formed with a central threaded opening or bore 22 which is concentric with it and it and is adapted to receive a threaded portion 23 of the lens mount V2. The latter is formed with a radial shoulder is positioned at the inner end of the portion 23, as best shown in Fig.

When the parts are to be assembled, the inner ring it is slid into the outer ring it until the surfaces or faces 2i) and 2! are brought into abutting engagement. The portion 23 of the lens mount is then screwed into the inner ring it until the shoulder 24 is brought into tight, abutting relation with the front face 25 of the flange l9 thus to position the mount l2 axially relative to the rings it and it. The assembly is then screwed into the support H by engaging the threaded periphery if: of the outer ring it with the threaded aperture l3 of the support i i. The parts are screwed into the support until the image formed by the lens system is brought to a sharp focus on the image or focal plane. At that time, the face 25 is spaced a definite axial distance from the focal plane, and thus, through the flange or shoulder 25, accurately positions the mount 12 axially relative to support I I. The face 25 may, therefore, be broadly considered as a positioning means for mount i2.

After the parts have been screwed into position in the support, means must be provided to hold or retain the parts in proper focused relation. To secure this result, the present invention provides means for clamping or looking the outer ring it in adjusted position on the support H. To this end the support is formed with an aperture or recess 30 positioned adjacent the aperture i3 thereof and separated therefrom by a thin inclined deformable wall portion 3!. A ball 33 is positioned in the recess 39, and rests on the inclined upper surface 32 of the wall 3!.

A threaded opening 34 communicates with the a recess 36, and extends outwardly to the outer edge 35 of wall I! as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. A set screw 36 is threadedly received in opening 3t and has the inner end 31 positioned in contact with ball 33. in the support H, as above described, the set screw 3%: is screwed in against the ball 33. As the inward movement of the screw 36 is continued, the ball 33 is wedged between the upper surface 38 and the lower inclined surface 32 of the recess 3Q. Such wedging serves to deflect, bend or deform the thin Wall section or portion 35 to cause the adjacent threads of the aperture !3 to clamp and lock with the cooperating threads on the outer surface l5 of ring M to lock or clamp the latter against both axial and rotative movement to retain the ring M in its adjusted position on the support II.

It will be apparent that with the structure so far described, after the outer ring M is locked,

the inner ring [8, due to its sliding connection with the outer ring hi, may be moved freely, axially and rotatably relative to the ring it. However, in order to assure proper positioning of the lens mount l2, it is imperative that the axial position of the ring 18 be maintained with the surface 25 a definite distance from the focal or image plane. In this position, the parts will be in the relation illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 with the surfaces 25 and 2| in engagement. In order to retain the axial position of the inner ring Hi, the present invention provides yieldable connecting means between the rings [4 and I8 which serves to retain the rings in proper axial relation, yet permits relative rotation of the rings to After the parts have been screwed allow orientation of the lens mount, as will be later more fully described.

To this end, the present invention provides a yieldable connecting member which is formed from an annular piece of spring or resilient material, such as spring steel, to provide a pcripheral ring portion 39 which lies substantially in a single plane and an inwardly extending inclined or dished portion .0. The inner edge ii of portion it registers with extends into and tightly engages in a peripheral slot or notch 52 formed on the outer surface of the inner ring H8 at the end thereof opposite the flange l9 as best shown in Fig. 4. In order that the inner edge 6! may be engaged in the slot .2, the surface of the opening it adjacent slot 42 is cut away to provide clearance, as shown at 53, Fig. 3. Thus, the dished member is carried by and is adapted to rotate, in a manner to be later described, as a unit with the inner ring i8. The planar portion 39 of the dished member, on the other hand, engages the rear surface 44 of the outer ring it, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. Thus, the dished member yieldably connects the rings Hi and i8, and tends to move or slide the latter axially or to the right, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, to maintain the surfaces 25! and 2i in engagement and to position the surface 25, and, hence the lens mount i2, accurately in an axial direction so as to maintain the image formed by the lens system at the focal plane, the advantages of which are deemed apparent.

It is sometimes found, however, that after the mounting parts have been screwed into position and adjusted relative to the support so that the parts are in proper axial relation, the scales t5 and 55 on the lens mount [2 may not be properly orientated or positioned so that they are easily and readily viewable by the operator, the disadvantages of which are readily apparent. In order to bring the mount i2 into proper orientation, the mount must be rotated relative to support H, as is apparent. This rotation of the mount may, however, be adjusted by merely rotating the mount relative to the adjusting rings id or IE. However, with such an adjustment, the shoulder 25 of the mount will be moved out of engagement with the front face 25 of the flange :9, and the desired axial relation of the mount will be destroyed. In order to overcome this difficulty, the structure of the present invention permits the inner ring it and the lens mount 32 to be rotated as a unit relative to the outer ring i l, but without altering the axial relation of the two rings or the mount, so that during this orientation the axial position of the parts is not destroyed and the image will be maintained in focus. During such rotation the dished member rotates with the inner ring it, and the portion 39 slides on the surface id of ring it so as always to maintain the surfaces 20 and 2! in contact and the rings in proper axial relation.

Such relative rotation of the rings enables the operator to position the scales 45 and t5 in the desired position without altering the focusing adjustment of the parts. However, after such rotatable adjustment is made, means must be provided for locking the mount in its adjusted position so as to prevent accidental turning of the mount. A variety of means may be employed to secure this result. However, in the preferred embodiment this result is secured by means which engages and holds the dished member against rotation. It is apparent that as the dished member is connected to the inner ring H; which, in turn, is connected to the mount, the dished member is held against rotation and both the inner ring and lens mount are so held and locked against rotation relative to the outer ring it.

To this end, the inclined portion to of the dished member is provided with a plurality of annularly arrangeo recesses or apertures 41 in which a lug or pawl is is adapted to be received to lock the dished member, and hence the ring 18 and the mount 52, against rotation relative to the ring i l. The pawl 48 is formed integral with and is positioned near one end of a strip or bar 59 of spring material, such as metal. The end 50 of bar it, remote from the lug 33, is anchored to the rear surface 54 of the support ii by means of a screw as which extends into registering threaded opening 33 in the support H. The bar 353 thus constitutes a spring cantilever member which is anchored only at one end by screw 52. The other end of the bar is provided with a forward extending pin which extends through a registering opening in support H, and terminates in a finger piece 5% which is spaced slightly away from the front surface 5? of support ii, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. With the parts in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, pawl 3 is engaged in one of the apertures s? of the dished member, and the inner ring I8 and lens mount ii are locked against relative rotation to the outer ring it which, in turn, is locked in relation to the support ll. Now, when the lens mount and assembly have been screwed into the support H to a position to bring the image into sharp focus at the focal plane, the set screw is screwed in to cause the ball to deform wall at to clamp and lock rings is i8, and hence mount l2 in proper axial and focused relation. However, at this time it may be found that the lens mount is not properly oriented and the scales and 56 are not in the desired position.

In order to bring the scales 45 and in proper relation, the finger piece 58 is grasped and pushed inwardly. Such action causes the bar 49 to flex or pivot about screw 52 to withdraw lug or pawl 438 out of the registering recess 4?. Such withdrawal serves to free the dished memher and the inner ring 98. These riernbers may now be rotated as a unit, with the lens mount to adjust the latter relative to the clam ed ring M to bring t e scales into proper position. During this ad; it, the dished member is carried as a unit wnh the inner ring it and the planar portion rides on the rear surface id of the outer ring thus yieldably retains the parts in proper axial adjustment during the rotative movement. After the lens mount has been rotated sufficiently to bring the scales :35 and it in proper position, the finger piece is released. The bar 2-3, due to its spring nature, then moves the entire bar forward to shift the lug 38 into a registering but different aperture 4! of the portion ii of the dished member again to locl: the rings 55 and I5, and hence the lens mount, in non-rotative relation on the support 1 l.

Thus, the parts be adjusted axially to properly focus the image. Then, after the image is focused, the lens mount and certain parts of the mounting means may be rotated as a unit relative to other parts which are clamped to the support to permit the mount to be ad justed or oriented to bring the scales into proper viewing position. However, during this rotating or orienting adjustment, the parts are al- Ways maintained in their previously adjusted axial or focused relation. Thus, two movements are provided for the inner ring l8 (1) an axial movement with the outer ring to position the parts in proper focal adjustment, after which the outer ring is clamped; and (2) a rotative movement relative to the outer ring i to orient the lens mount 52 to bring the scales i5 and 66 into proper position while maintaining the parts in their proper axial or focused rel. Thus, during the orientation of the lens mount, the focusing adjustment is in no way altered.

The present invention thus provides a mounting device which not only permits proper focusing of the image, but also the rotation or orientation of the lens mount to position the scales thereon without changing or altering the focusing adjustment. After the rotating adjustment of the lens mount has been made, the parts are then looked against koth axial and rotative movement so as to insure the retention of the proper adjustment of the parts. The mounting device of the present invention con prises few parts of rugged construction, is to operate and highly effective in use.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive idea may be carried out in a number of ways. Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to cover all variations and modifications which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a lens mounting, the combination with a support formed with a threaded aperture, of a ring threadably engagin said aperture, a second ring slidably positioned in said first ring and formed with a threaded aperture adapted to receive a lens mount, mount positioning surface formed on said second ring, means for clamping said first ring in fixed position in said support, means to position said second ring axially relative to said first ring, and a releasable means connecting the rings to retain the rings in assembled relation, out permitting the second ring said mount to be rotated relative to said first ring.

2. In a lens mounting, the combination with a support formed with a threaded aperture, of ring threadably engaging said aperture, 2. second ring slidably positioned in said first ring and formed with a threaded aperture adapted to receive a lens mount, a mount positioning surface formed on said second ring, means for clamping said first ring in a fixed position in said support, means to position said second ring axially relative to said first ring, a dished annular element carried by said second ring and engaging said first ring to retain the rings in assembled relation, means on said support engaging said element to prevent relative rotation of the rings,

and means to render said engaging mean inoperative to permit said second ring and said mount to be rotated relative to said first ring.

3. In a lens mounting, the combination with a support formed with a threaded aperture, of a ring threadably engaging said aperture, a second ring slidably positioned in said first ring and formed with a threaded aperture adapted to receive a lens mount, a mount positioning surface formed on said second ring, means for clamping said first ring in a fixed position in said support, means to position said second ring axially relative to said first ring, a dished annular ele-' ment carried by and movable as a unit with the second ring and engaging the first ring to retain the rings in assembled relation, said element being formed with a plurality of recesses, a spring pressed lug adapted to engage in one of said recesses to prevent relative rotation of the rings, and means to move said lug to a disengaged position to permit said element, mount and second ring to be rotated as a unit relative to said first ring.

4. In a lens mounting, the combination with a support formed with a threaded aperture, of a ring threadably engaging said aperture, a second ring slidably positioned in said first ring and formed with a threaded aperture adapted to receive a lens mount, a mount positioning surface formed on said second ring, means for clamping said first ring in fixed position in said support, means to position said second ring axially relative to said first ring, means yieldably connecting the rings to hold said rings in proper axial relation, said connecting means being rotatable as a unit with said second ring to orient said mount, ring holding means carried by said support and engaging said connecting means to lock the rings against relative rotation, and means to release said holding means to free said connecting means to permit said second ring to be rotated on said support relative to said first ring to orient said mount.

5. In a lens mounting, the combination with a support formed with a threaded aperture, of a ring threadably engaging said aperture, a second ring slidably positioned in said first ring and formed with a threaded aperture adapted to receive a lens mount, a mount positioning surface formed on said second ring, means for clamping said first ring in fixed position in said.support to position said second ring axially relative to said first ring, said second ring being formed with an annular groove, an element formed to provide an annular planar section and a dished section, said element being positioned with said dished section engaging in said groove and said planar section in engagement with said first ring to provide a resilient connection between the rings to retain the rings in proper axial relation but permitting relative rotation of the rings, means carried by said support and cooperating with said element to lock. the rings against relative rotation, and means for disconnecting said last means from said element to free the latter to permit said second ring, mount and element to be rotated as a unit relative to said first ring.

6. In a lens mounting, the combination with a support formed with a threaded aperture, of a ring threadably engaging said aperture, a second ring slidably positioned in said first ring and formed with a threaded aperture adapted to receive a lens mount, a mount positioning surface formed on said second ring, said support being formed with a deformable wall positioned adjacent said first aperture, means to deform said wall to clamp said first ring in fixed position in said first aperture, means to position said second ring axially relative to said first ring, and a releasable means connecting the rings to retain said rings in assembled relation, but permitting said second ring and said mount to be rotated relative to said first ring.

'2. In a lens mounting, the combination with a support formed with a threaded aperture, of a ring threadably engaging said aperture, a second ring slidably positioned in said first ring and.

formed with a threaded aperture adapted to receive a lens mount, a mount positioning surface formed on said second ring, said support being formed with a deformable wall portion positioned adjacent said first aperture, a ball positioned on said support and in engagement with said wall portion, means for pressing said ball against said wall portion to move the latter into clamping relation with said first ring to lock the latter against movement relative to said support, means to position said second ring axially relative to said first ring, and a releasable means connecting the rings to retain the rings in assembled relation, but permitting said second ring and said mount to be rotated relative to said first ring.

In a lens mounting, the combination with a support formed with a threaded aperture, of a ring threadably engaging said aperture, a second ring slidably positioned in said first ring and formed with a threaded aperture adapted to receive a lens mount, a mount positioning surface formed on said second ring, said support being formed with a recess separated from said first aperture by a thin deformable Wall portion, a ball positioned in said recess, threadable means for moving said ball against said wall portion to deform the latter to clamp said first ring in fixed relation on said support, means both to connect the rings and to position said second ring axially relative to said first ring, means engaging said last-mentioned means to lock the rings relative rotation, and means for releasing said locking means to free said connecting means to permit said second ring to be rotated relative to said first ring to orient said mount.

9. In a lens mounting, the combination with a support formed with a threaded aperture, of a ring threadably engaging said aperture, a secring slidably positioned in said first ring and formed with a threaded aperture adapted to receive a lens mount, a mount positioning surface formed on said second ring, said support being formed with a recess separated from said first aperture by a thin deformable wall portion, a ball positioned in said recess, threadable means for moving said ball against said wall portion to deform the latter to clamp said first ring in fixed relation on said support, cooperating shoulders formed on the rings, a yieldable member connecting the rings to hold said shoulders in engaging relation to position the rings in proper relative axial relation, means carried by said support and engaging said yieldable member to lock the rings against relative rotation, and means for releasing the locking means to free said second ring so that the latter may be rotated relative to said first ring to orient said mount relative to said support.

10. In a lens mounting, the combination with a support formed with a threaded aperture, of a ring threadably engaging said aperture, a second ring slidably positioned in said first ring and formed with a threaded aperture adapted to receive a lens mount, a mount positioning surface formed on said second ring, said support being formed with a recess separated from said first aperture by a thin deformable wall portion, a ball positioned in said recess, threadable means for moving said ball against said wall portion to deform the latter to clamp said first ring in fixed relation on said support, cooperating shoulders formed on the rings, said second ring being formed with an annular peripheral groove on the end thereof opposite said shoulders, a dished shaped annular element having a planar section in engagement with said first ring and the free end of a dished portion positioned in said groove to hold said shoulders in engagement to maintain the relative axial positions of the rings and to connect said rings yieldably, a movable lug mounted on said support, means on said element engageable by said lug to lock said element and second ring against rotative movement relative to said first ring, and means on said support for releasing said lug to free said element so that the latter and said second ring may be rotated relative to said first ring to orient said mount relative to said support.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,110,477 Wittel Mar. 8, 1938 2,203,660 Young June 4, 1940 2,287,468 Cisski June 23, 1942 2,293,592 Cisski Aug. 18, 1942 2,500,050 Wittel Mar. 7, 1950 2,503,750 Lee Apr. 11, 195 

